Michael Heidelberger (1888-1991) was one of the fathers of
modern immunology and the founder of immunochemistry, the
branch of biochemistry that examines the mammalian immune
system on a molecular level. His seminal discovery with
Oswald T. Avery in 1923 that powerful antigens of
pneumococcus bacteria are polysaccharides opened up an
expansive new area in the study of microorganisms, and laid
a path for a new understanding of infectious diseases,
their treatment, and their prevention. The National
Library of Medicine is the repository for the Michael Heidelberger Papers,
which range from 1901
to 1990. The collection
contains correspondence, published scientific articles, laboratory notebooks, diaries, photographs, and examples of Heidelberger's
original musical compositions.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the
National Library of Medicine is digitizing and making
available over the World Wide Web a selection of the
Michael Heidelberger Papers, for use by educators and
researchers. This Web site provides access to the
portions of the Michael Heidelberger Papers that are now
publicly available. Individuals interested in
conducting research in the Michael Heidelberger Papers are
invited to
contact
the National Library of Medicine.

This online Exhibit is designed to introduce you to the
various phases of Heidelberger's
scientific career and professional life. It is divided
into sections that focus on
Heidelberger's life and major
scientific contributions. We suggest that new visitors
begin with this exhibit, which includes a small
selection of documents and visuals, organized within
these sections. Each section begins with a "Background
Narrative," which leads to "Documents" and "Visuals."

Visitors may access additional materials through
Search
on the navigation bar. They may also view the materials
alphabetically or chronologically by choosing
Browse
on the navigation bar. Documents and visuals in these
lists are arranged by format and then either
alphabetically by title or chronologically.